


Subtext

by Momoisme



Category: The Abyss Surrounds Us
Genre: F/F, Hoping to see more fic for this series because WOW, New fandom I think, Oh and these two are adorable
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-07
Updated: 2016-09-07
Packaged: 2018-08-13 12:33:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 812
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7976896
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Momoisme/pseuds/Momoisme
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Swift has trouble with a book. Cassandra tries to be nice. Somehow no one gets a black eye.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Subtext

**Author's Note:**

> Figured I'd write something for this pairing because I love them and the book deserves fanfiction. Hope I got it right.

Autumn didn't change things much on the open sea.

Sure the air got colder and the days got colder, but without a clock to go by and leaves to turn colors, it wasn't as obvious as fall in the SRC. Calenders marked the date but there was nothing obvious to give away the changing season other than the Captain's reminders to have Bao trained before winter ended and trade picked up again. Time went by slow and fast at the same time, days passing like a gentle current and hours rushing like rain in a storm.

Cassandra spent her days somewhere between grim amusement and exhausted despair. Bao was growing faster and faster now that he could find his own food, but that was where his training halted. No ships for him to attack and nothing left to teach him until the Captain realized what was going on. When she wasn't working with Bao, she had free time, so she followed Swift around the ship.

After the fight in the slew where she got her ass handed to her, she and Swift were at least getting along better. The training exercises were at least interesting, and in some ways it was better than being stuck on the trainer deck all the time. It was around noon, the sun hanging high in the sky, and Swift had disappeared somewhere. Cassandra found her in a secluded corner of the main deck in the shadows, looking at an open book like she wanted to strangle it.

"I don't think I've seen you that angry in a while," she joked, stopping a few feet away. "Algebra?"

Swift glanced up, still scowling, and slammed the book shut. "Just something we picked off a bucket a while back. I've been trying to read it when I have time."

"If you're looking at it like that, it can't be a good book."

The scowl got stormier and she looked away, setting the book down on her outstretched legs. "From what I can actually get through, it's pretty good."

At one point, that would have been a perfect opportunity to be bitchy, but something in her shied away from that option. Instead, she dropped to the deck and sat. "What's stopping you from finishing it?"

Swift's head snapped back to her, eyes blazing, but a split second before she let loose whatever tirade she had planned, she deflated and the scowl was replaced by resigned irritation. "I can't make sense of the words. Never been good at reading. They just don't go together right."

That sounded familiar. "Like the letters keep moving around?"

Shock widened her eyes, then they narrowed in suspicion. "Yeah. How do you know that?"

"My brother had that problem." The words were a shock as they came out; she hadn't talked about anyone from before until now. The realization made her look down at the deck and anywhere but Swift. "It's called dyslexia. It took him a while to figure out how to read without getting a headache or throwing the book at the teacher."

She heard a snort, and looked up to see the other girl looking like she was imagining it and it was funny. "So the temper is a family thing?"

"Like you're one to talk," Cassandra snapped back, but the soft smile ruined the outrage.

Swift was quiet for a minute, studying the book in front of her. "So... how did he fix it?"

"He didn't fix it, exactly." She hesitated for a second to figure out how to explain. "One of his teachers figured out what was wrong and worked with him on it. I ended up helping when I had time. It didn't go away, but he got better at it."

"Oh."

That word hung in the air, almost awkwardly waiting for someone to say something. She wasn't going to ask for help, not from the prisoner training their pirateborn Reckoner. It was either make an excuse and escape or…

"I could help you with it, if you wanted."

Swift looked up and she looked as shocked as Cassandra felt for offering. "You... what?"

She shrugged, trying her damndest for nonchalant. "I mean, I know a few of the tricks my brother used, if you wanted. Probably better than you getting pissed off over a bunch of words and throwing Code overboard or something."

If she noticed Cassandra's pretty terrible attempt to not care, Swift didn't show it. Instead she smiled, one of the rare ones that made her look almost gentle. "It makes up for teaching you how to fight."

Cassandra scooted over without getting up so she was sitting closer and reached for the book the other girl was now holding. "I'm really hoping it doesn't leave us with more bruises."

Her hand brushed against Swift's. If she shivered, it was from the cool breeze and nothing else.


End file.
